A special meeting of the state cabinet was convened at the Vidhana Soudha Assembly Hall on Tuesday to deliberate on expediting the land acquisition process for the long-pending Upper Krishna Project (UKP) Phase-3. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and attended by his cabinet colleagues, senior officials, and representatives from the Water Resources Department.
The Upper Krishna Project, a major Irrigation scheme in North Karnataka, is aimed at improving water supply for agriculture, drinking, and industrial use across several drought-prone districts. However, the project has faced delays due to hurdles in land acquisition, compensation distribution, and rehabilitation of affected families.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister reviewed the status of land acquisition across different districts and directed officials to ensure faster processing of compensation packages. He emphasized that farmers whose land is being acquired must receive fair and timely compensation, along with proper rehabilitation and resettlement facilities.
Cabinet members discussed mechanisms to reduce procedural bottlenecks, including easing coordination between district administrations and revenue officials. Proposals were also considered for setting up special monitoring committees at the district level to ensure transparency and accountability.
Siddaramaiah stated that the successful completion of UKP Phase-3 is crucial for the state’s irrigation goals and will bring long-term relief to thousands of farmers in water-scarce regions. The cabinet resolved to take immediate steps to speed up acquisition and to hold regular progress reviews. Officials confirmed that detailed guidelines will soon be issued to district authorities for effective implementation.